76. Libraries

           

           I’m not going to lie to you, my library card has lapsed. In fact, I don’t think I have checked a book out of our public library in a good five years. I have this tendency to buy books and then when I’m done with them I give them away or donate them to my school or classroom library. But that doesn’t mean I don’t go to my library. The public library in every town I’ve ever lived or gone to has been a gathering for the community to discuss ideas, politics, music, etc.  I love public libraries and even as I write this I think about how I need to renew my library card and maybe check out an audio book. That would be a new experience for me.

            I used to work for the Idaho State library traveling around to various communities lecturing about books and authors that I had researched and that the groups had read and we gathered to discuss them. The program was called “Let’s Talk About It.”  I discussed books in libraries in Malad, Preston, Pocatello, Peck, Orofino, Potlatch, Grangeville and a few other places I’ve forgotten now. The program has now been discontinued, but when I was doing it I loved meeting people, discussing books and ideas and seeing more of their communities. Those libraries gave me that.

            Now I still go to meetings at the library, join the friends of the library (don’t know why they don’t require a library card) and do things as various as talk to political candidates, organize community events and hear local authors talk about their latest work.

            I live in a really small town but we still have a library. That’s a great thing about this country. We have this constant conflict between left and right, but we have the free expression of ideas. If you doubt that, take a trip to your local public library and check out their calendar of events. Get to know the librarian, get your library card and check out a book. I love libraries and I’ve just made myself feel guilty that I haven’t renewed my library card.